


Out in the Open

by Orithain, Rina9294



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2016-10-02
Packaged: 2018-08-19 01:29:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8183807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Orithain/pseuds/Orithain, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rina9294/pseuds/Rina9294
Summary: DADT is repealed, and John and Rodney can finally be together openly.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written March 2011, and published in _Undercurrents 3_ , June 2012. And then we forgot all about it, so it was never posted online till now.

“John.”

John regarded the viewscreen warily, wondering why Gen. O’Neill had requested a private conversation with him and why he was addressing him by his first name.

“Sir?”

“Are you sitting down?”

John’s nervousness increased, but he nodded.

“Good. Then it’s my pleasure to inform you that ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ has been repealed.”

John’s eyes widened, and he stared at Jack wordlessly, clearly stunned speechless, making O’Neill grin.

“Breathe, John. This isn’t a dream; it’s real. And Daniel and I expect an invitation to your wedding. And Sam thinks she should get to give McKay away.”

That startled a laugh out of John. “Tell you what, sir. You send us an invitation to your wedding to Jackson, and we’ll send you one to ours.”

Jack grinned again. “Sounds like a fair deal. We’ll work out the timing and let you know. Now go tell McKay because if he hears this from anyone else, you’ll be sleeping on the sofa till your golden anniversary.”

John was still laughing after Jack signed off and he called Rodney to meet him in his office. He moved around his desk and perched on the corner nearest the door to wait for Rodney to arrive.

“What?” Rodney demanded when he arrived several minutes later. “And this had better be good because I was in the middle of something!”

“Well, do you care that Sam wants to give you away when we get married?”

“What the _hell_ are you talking about, Colonel?” Rodney demanded, his eyes narrowing as he looked at John suspiciously. “Have you gotten into some strange herbs a gate team brought back?”

John laughed as he pushed to his feet and pulled Rodney in for a kiss. Once he was done, leaving Rodney flushed and breathless, he said, “DADT’s been repealed. Want to make an honest man of me?”

Rodney blinked several times before his eyes widened. “You mean that your imbecilic government has finally developed two brain cells that they could rub together?”

“So it seems. Jack called to tell me just before I called you.”

“And he told you that Sam wanted to give me away- Wait a minute, I am so not the bride in any marriage scenario!”

John laughed again. “Yes, well, no one wants to give me away, so you’re it.”

“Ronon, Lorne, Cadman,” Rodney said, wiggling an arm in between them and ticking the names off on his fingers.

“Sam asked first.”

“She didn’t ask me!”

“So why don’t you call her and invite her to the wedding, and I’m sure she will.”

“I don’t need to be given away!” Rodney nearly shrieked. “If you mention it again, I’m not going to agree to marry you!”

“So you are agreeing?”

“We have been having illicit—and according to your government, illegal—relations for five years; of course I’m agreeing!” Rodney grabbed John and pulled him in for another kiss.

John was still beaming when the kiss ended. “Come on, I haven’t told anyone else yet. I need to make the announcement so everyone else can celebrate too.”

“At our expense!” Rodney sputtered.

“For themselves,” John explained patiently. “Or do you honestly think we’re the only ones hiding something? You don’t actually think Lorne is interested in botany, do you?”

“Obviously not, other than finding plants that can create lube,” Rodney snorted.

John chuckled. “Exactly. So I think he’d like to know that he can stop pretending not to be sharing quarters with Dr. Parrish.”

“Fine, fine, go tell your grunts that they can have relations with whomever they want, then we can celebrate.”

“That’s my Rodney, with the soul of a poet,” John snorted.

“Bite your tongue!”

“I’d rather bite you.”

“Maybe after you give your announcement,” Rodney smirked.

“Promises, promises.

“Do you need to get back to the lab, or do you want to come with me and we can grab some lunch after I’m done?”

“Yes, I want to go with you, and no, we aren’t going to get some lunch.”

John grinned wickedly. “I like the way you think, Dr. McKay.”

“Yes, well, there’s a shock,” Rodney smirked, sliding a hand down to grope John’s ass before letting him go.

“Save that for in private.” John pretended to look around. “Huh. We are in private.” He pulled Rodney in and groped him, grinning all the while.

“Idiot,” Rodney laughed. “And you need to go make that announcement so that we can continue this in private with more time.”

“Good point. Let’s go make a lot of people happy.”

As they made their way to the large, open area used for large gatherings, John switched his radio to the military channel and ordered all US personnel to assemble there. By the time he and Rodney arrived, the scientist’s presence at his side causing a faint air of tension to dissipate, nearly all the military in the city had arrived, and the last few joined them within minutes. John was amused to see that most if not all of the military from other countries hovered outside in the corridors, along with many of the scientific personnel.

“Anyone else who wants to join us is welcome,” he called, suppressed laughter audible in his voice, and those outside came in, including Mr. Woolsey.

“I received a message from Gen. O’Neill a short while ago,” John began, his eyes scanning the crowd and coming to rest on Maj. Lorne as he continued, “and it was his pleasure to inform me that a few hours ago the bill eliminating ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ was passed.”

Eyes widened all around the room as everyone absorbed the news, and as usual, Lorne was the first to react. He let out a whoop and then made his way through the crowd, straight for Parrish. He grabbed the botanist, pulling him into a tight embrace, and kissed him.

“So why aren’t you kissing McKay?”Ronon asked, watching the antics with amusement.

“Already did, and the next one’s going to be behind locked doors,” John replied, grinning over his shoulder at Ronon. “And you could kiss Keller, just to join in, you know.”

“Good point,” he chuckled, stalking over to where the doctor was standing and doing just that to the hoots of her staff.

“Why is everyone so worried about seeing us kiss?” Rodney asked. “It’s not as if most of them haven’t already seen it anyway.”

Lorne chuckled, he and Parrish having moved to stand closer to them. “You’re the military and scientific leaders; you’re supposed to lead by example.”

Rodney looked at him incredulously. “You are aware of who you’re talking to, aren’t you?”

Parrish edged slightly behind Lorne, watching Rodney warily, while John laughed.

“Sounds like he knows exactly who he’s talking to, Rodney.”

“Which makes me wonder why either of us could be considered examples of anything,” Rodney commented.

“It goes with the job,” John replied with a shrug while Parrish tried to cover his laughter with a cough, and Lorne didn’t even bother to hide his.

“Oh, stop lying to me, and let’s get out of here,” Rodney grumbled.

“Just one last thing to do before we do.” John waited till Rodney turned an inquisitive gaze on him and then pulled him into his arms and kissed him while the others laughed, cheered and applauded, and Rodney sputtered.

“Our kissing is not for public entertainment!”

“No, it’s for our pleasure,” John agreed. “But in this case it also gets them off our backs so they’ll leave us alone.”

Rodney pondered that for a moment before giving a musing nod, a small smirk, and pulling John in for another, deeper kiss. “And now they’ll leave us alone for even longer,” he murmured against John’s lips.

“Good, I’d hate to have to shoot anyone for interrupting us.”

“I’ll post a guard on your door,” Lorne offered. “And maybe mine too,” he added with a sidelong glance at Parrish.

“Good idea, give him a raise, John,” Rodney ordered.

“I’m putting Dr. Parrish in charge of his perks,” John replied, tugging Rodney toward the door.

“Isn’t it my job to put Dr. Parrish in charge of his perks? You can put Lorne in charge of Parrish’s perks.”

“That works. Enjoy yourselves, guys,” John called over his shoulder.

“So,” Rodney murmured as they walked toward the transporter, “we’ve never done this in a legal manner before...”

“Do you think it’ll make us dull and humdrum?”

Rodney’s chin rose at that, and he looked at John through narrowed eyes. “Colonel, I assure you that I am never dull and humdrum.”

“I’m delighted to hear it.” There was a suspicious sparkle in John’s eyes, though his tone remained bland.

“I really hate you.”

“No, you don’t. You love me, and you agreed to marry me.”

“Good point,” Rodney agreed, “but that doesn’t mean I can’t hate you as well.”

“True, you are Dr. Rodney McKay, the master of multi-tasking. But how ‘bout trying loving me and fucking me instead?”

“I believe I could manage to add those to my plate as well,” Rodney answered after less than a second’s consideration.

“I think you need to test that hypothesis and back it up with empirical evidence.”

“Once we get back to our quarters, I will.” Rodney paused at that and smiled. “And they’ll officially be our quarters now.”

John smiled slowly. “Yeah, we’ll have to get Ronon to help us pack up and move your stuff. Huh, maybe we should look at getting larger quarters now that we can officially live together.”

“I don’t think there’s honestly much back in my quarters, but yes, something that’s ours would be good.”

“We’ll talk to Woolsey about it... tomorrow.”

They reached John’s quarters and walked in, the door opening as they neared and closing and locking behind them as soon as they were inside.

“Alone at last.” John leered at Rodney and twirled an imaginary mustache, causing Rodney to snicker.

“I would think I should be doing that.”

“Are you going to have your wicked way with me?” John batted his lashes campily.

“Keep it up and I’m going to call Keller to see you!”

John burst into laughter and sank down to on the edge of the bed. Once he’d caught his breath, he held out a hand to Rodney, his eyes bright with love and joy. Rodney smiled as well as he shrugged out of his jacket and kicked off his shoes then took John’s hand and sank down on the bed beside him.

“No more having to sneak out in the morning or ignore Ronon’s smirks,” John said happily. His smile could have lit up the room by itself. “Though, come to think of it, I’m sure he’ll still smirk.”

“Let him smirk; I couldn’t care less.” As he spoke, Rodney rolled on top of John and kissed him.

Forgetting all about Ronon, about anything outside of Rodney in fact, John wrapped his arms around his scientist and returned the kiss with interest. His hands explored the broad expanse of Rodney’s back and the curves of his ass before growing impatient and tugging the shirt up to get at the warm skin beneath.

Rodney groaned and arched up beneath John’s touch, his tongue delving into John’s mouth and stroking against the wet velvet of its counterpart. John broke the kiss just long enough to yank Rodney’s shirt over his head, and then their mouths met again, each seemingly trying to taste every inch of the other.

At the same time, John’s hands slid down over Rodney’s ass again, then upward only to work inside his pants, cupping the firm cheeks and pulling Rodney down while John ground upward.

“Mmm, need to get you naked,” Rodney rasped as they rocked together.

“Smartest man in two galaxies.”

“Damn right,” Rodney mumbled as he tugged at John’s shirt.

“And all mine,” John said gleefully, shrugging out of the garment while Rodney ran greedy hands over the newly bared flesh, humming to himself in pleasure.

“Okay, hold that thought; we need to lose the rest of the clothes,” John said, kissing him again before pulling back to work on his own pants. “Strip. Now.”

“Yes, sir,” Rodney chuckled as he pulled the rest of his clothes off then sprawled on the bed, watching John hungrily.

“You’re looking at me like you usually do coffee first thing in the morning,” John said with a husky laugh.

“That’s because I want you more than the coffee.”

“From you, that’s saying something.” Naked now, John stretched out beside Rodney, one hand splaying on his chest, a fingertip barely brushing an already hard nipple.

“It’s because I love you,” Rodney breathed, resting his hand on John’s hip.

“I love you too,” John replied, the words that had once been hard for him to say now coming easily.

“Good thing because if you didn’t, this wedding thing would be off.” As he spoke, Rodney rolled to his side and pulled John against him as he claimed his mouth. John opened eagerly to him, his hands sliding down to cup Rodney’s ass and rock him against himself, moaning gutturally at the sheer pleasure of the sensation.

“Oh hell yeah,” Rodney groaned against John’s mouth as their cocks rubbed together, heated flesh sliding against heated flesh, slicked by drops of precome.

“Want you in me,” John rasped, lust-darkened green-hazel eyes focusing on Rodney hungrily.

“Need the lube,” Rodney rasped, flailing out a hand to reach in the bedside table drawer.

“Fuck yeah.” John rolled to his back, watching Rodney and lazily jacking himself as he waited.

“Stop that or this is going to be over before it starts,” Rodney growled, slapping John’s hand away from his cock.

“Uh uh,” John replied. “Neither of us is coming till you fuck me.”

“And then we’ll both come,” Rodney murmured.

“I’m counting on it.” John pulled Rodney over him, his eyes warm with amusement.

Rodney’s lips curved into a wide smile, and he leaned in to kiss John, his tongue slipping into his mouth as he rocked down against John. John drew his legs up, bracing his feet against the mattress for leverage as he thrust up against Rodney, shuddering with the mounting sensations.

“Oh yeah,” Rodney groaned, flipping open the lube with one hand and squirting some over his fingers before working the hand in between them and trailing them over the cleft of John’s ass.

John could only groan and press down, trying to force Rodney’s fingers inside himself, Rodney going with the motion and managing to twist two digits into John’s ass, apparently wanting him stretched and ready in as little time as possible.

“God, I’m good, _now_ ,” John demanded in a throaty rasp, his fingers digging into Rodney’s upper arms as he clung to him. His head was flung back, curving his throat into an inviting arch, and his eyes were half-closed, making him the very picture of debauchery.

Rodney dove in, licking and biting the exposed length of tanned flesh even as he pushed his fingers in deeper, somehow managing to slick his cock up at the same time. With a quick move, he drew his fingers back and pushed forward, shoving deeply into John’s barely stretched hole, groaning deeply as he did so.

John gasped, his body curving into a deep bow and momentarily lifting them both off the bed at the painfully pleasurable entry. His legs rose to wind around Rodney’s waist, tightening to draw Rodney deeper even as his body both protested and welcomed the invasion.

“Oh hell, you feel good,” Rodney gasped as he began to move, long, slow strokes that almost had him pulling out of John’s body before driving back in.

John didn’t waste breath on speaking, instead choosing to lunge upward to catch Rodney’s mouth with his own, kissing him almost desperately as he clenched around Rodney’s cock, fighting to hold him inside. The two men moved like that for an immeasurable amount of time, trading control of their kisses as they moved together, sweat-slicked skin sliding and catching with the force of their thrusts.

John was the first to slip over the edge, gasping Rodney’s name and shuddering around him in a paroxysm of pleasure as he came, looking into the blue of Rodney’s eyes. Rodney moaned and drove forward into the spasming heat, his whole body tensing before he came, John’s name on his lips.

Lying on the bed beneath Rodney’s weight, John felt content, sated and utterly relaxed. “I have no idea how we’re going to top that for the wedding night.”

“I’m brilliant, and you’re creative and focused in a crisis; we’ll manage it,” Rodney assured him in a drowsy tone.

“Our wedding night is not a crisis!” John laughed. Growing sleepier, he shifted slightly, getting more comfortable, and let his eyes fall closed, a smile curving his lips.

“To keep it that way, we’re going to have to elope,” Rodney muttered.

“And where exactly are you planning to live afterward?” John asked incredulously, suddenly wide awake again.

“I meant for the ceremony,” Rodney grumbled, poking at John as he moved.

“And you think we could ever come back here if we ran off and eloped without letting everyone here be at the wedding? Rodney, for a genius, sometimes you’re an idiot.”

“You’re really killing the afterglow here.”

“It’s all part of my evil plan to convince you we need to recreate it.”

“Now?” Rodney asked, his voice rising as he spoke.

“I appreciate the compliment, but we’re not teenagers, Rodney,” John replied with a perfectly straight face, earning himself a half-hearted glower and a jab in the ribs.

“Keep it up, and I’m going back to the lab.”

John snorted. “Yeah, like I believe that.”

“Are you saying that I’ve gotten predictable?”

“I’m saying you like being here, like this, as much as I do.”

“Considering how often we end up like this, I would say that was a given.”

“Which is why you’re not going back to your lab. You’re going lie here with me, and we’re going to plan our wedding,” John groaned the last three words, “and then maybe we’ll get sweaty again.”

Rodney’s expression turned thoughtful as he settled back against John again. “Teyla can do it.”

“You are my _favorite_ genius.”

“Damn right I am,” Rodney sniffed.

“And so humble.”

“With you to puncture my ego, how could I be anything but humble?”

John snorted. “Yeah, right. Maybe with a drone I could make a dent in it. Fortunately, I happen to love you the way you are, Dr. Ego-maniac.”

Rodney’s glower morphed into a grin, and he leaned in to press a kiss against John’s mouth. “Which is why we’re getting married.”

John beamed. “I like the sound of that,” he announced happily. “And tomorrow we’ll talk to Teyla about handling the arrangements for us.”

“Good, then we don’t have to do anything except show up.”

“Just keep in mind that means we can’t complain about whatever they choose to do,” John pointed out.

“So long as they let us pick out what we’re wearing, I’m fine with that.”

“Just as long as you don’t harbor a secret love of powder blue tuxes.”

“That is a sick and disgusting remark.”

John snickered. “Well, it would bring out your eyes.”

“You’re going to make me throw up on you.”

“Fine, fine,” John laughed. “No powder blue. To make it up to you, I’ll even let you decide if I should wear my mess dress or a suit.”

“Mess dress, definitely mess dress,” Rodney replied instantly.

“Did I find a new kink, Rodney?”

“It’s your military that has kept us from being officially together for all these years; damn right you’re going to wear your uniform when we get married!”

“Good point.” John kissed him lightly. “And we’re going to have an amazing wedding and an even better marriage.”

“Damn right we are.”

***

John smoothed his dress uniform unnecessarily, and Jack O’Neill chuckled at his anxiety. “Last minute nerves, Colonel?”

“Just about the ceremony, not about marrying Rodney, General,” John assured him. “It’s hard to believe I’m not dreaming.

“Hey!” He glared indignantly at Jack, who had pinched him.

“Just proving it’s not a dream.”

“How come I get you while Rodney gets Carter and Jackson?” John grumbled, making Ronon and Teyla chuckle from their seats beneath the window.

“Eggheads versus firepower?” Jack suggested wryly.

“I believe that you were the one who suggested Col. Carter stand up with Rodney,” Teyla pointed out diplomatically.

“Actually, it was Jack who told me that Sam wanted to,” John replied. “I’m not sure Rodney had a choice in the matter,” he added with a chuckle.

“He agreed or we would all have heard about it,” Ronon said, looking amused.

“Often and loudly,” Jack confirmed.

“He’d probably have disabled the gate,” John admitted with a chuckle. “But even though he’d never admit it, I think he was pleased she wanted to be here with him for this.”

“It is good that he sees that others care for him,” Teyla agreed solemnly.

“Being here has changed him for the better... thankfully,” Jack chuckled, garnering a dark look from John.

“There was absolutely nothing wrong with Rodney.”

“Which is why you’re marrying him,” Ronon said, rising from his seat to clap a hand on John’s shoulder.

“Yeah, it is.” John smiled. “Okay, let’s go and make sure my snarky scientist can’t ever get away from me.”

“Just make sure you throw the flowers at Woolsey,” Ronon commented, proving that he had been reading up on Earth wedding customs.

John laughed. “Oh, I think they should go to the general here or Dr. Jackson. Or maybe Lorne or Parrish.”

“Married already,” Jack reminded him.

“Yeah, and don’t think I didn’t notice you welched on our deal of reciprocal wedding invitations,” John informed him. “Eloping wasn’t part of the deal.”

“Hey, who am I to argue with a determined anthropologist?” Jack chuckled.

“His team leader,” John retorted.

“Nope, that’s Mitchell now,” Jack returned with a smirk.

“I’m not going to win, am I?”

“Should be used to it by now,” Ronon put in.

“I believe it is time to join Rodney,” Teyla said, getting to her feet, and none of the men took it as anything but an order.

John followed her from the room, Ronon and Jack right behind him, and they all made their way to the end of the east pier, John’s eyes immediately going to where Rodney was walking toward them, somehow in perfect time with John.

Their eyes met, and Rodney’s mobile mouth curved into a gentle smile that warmed his blue eyes as he held John’s gaze as they met.

The ceremony passed in a blur for John, Rodney’s blue eyes and the warmth of his hand in John’s own the only things that remained clear until the moment he found himself dancing with his husband.

“Look at us,” John murmured, the wide smile that was reserved just for Rodney stretching his lips. “We did it.”

“Most days I’m amazed that we’re alive; this is icing on the cake,” Rodney answered, rubbing his hand in small circles against the small of John’s back.

“It’s all about the icing,” John assured him.

“With you I’m surprised it’s not all turkey icing.”

“That’s just disgusting.”

“Hey, knowing you, I’d think you’d love it!” Rodney laughed before nuzzling John’s neck.

“Some things just don’t belong together. Unlike us.” John drew Rodney closer and pressed a kiss to his temple, neither of them conscious of the smiles on the faces of all who watched them.

“And thankfully your government finally figured that out as well.”

“Now I get to have you and Atlantis both, without having to hide it.”


End file.
